OPTN/UNOS Board Places Gulf Coast Medical Center on Probation

As established in the OPTN bylaws, probation is a public designation of an OPTN/UNOS member that is executing a corrective action plan for noncompliance with OPTN policies or bylaws, or a serious lapse in patient safety or quality of care.

Summary of events

Gulf Coast Medical Center voluntarily and temporarily ceased performing living donor kidney transplant procedures after a living donor death. Subsequent peer review of the hospital’s kidney transplant program revealed concerns with its processes for evaluation of potential living donors.

While the hospital continues to provide kidney transplant services involving deceased donors, its living donor kidney transplant component remains inactive as it is undergoing a quality review and improvement protocol.
The OPTN/UNOS Membership and Professional Standards Committee (MPSC) interviewed representatives of the institution on October 27, 2015. After the interview, the MPSC concluded that the organization requires additional close monitoring as it continues its quality improvement process.

Gulf Coast Medical Center waived its right to a hearing with the MPSC. The MPSC subsequently recommended that the institution be placed on probation, an action approved by the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors.

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is operated under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Division of Transplantation, by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). The OPTN brings together medical professionals, transplant recipients and donor families to develop national organ transplantation policy.